Videos

Dogs and humans have a lot in common, at least when it comes to cancer. That means that successful new treatments tested in dogs could be applied to humans. That's why Nayra Valle uses dogs with spontaneous cancer to develop and test a new technique for image-guided surgery. This could help surgeons better remove cancer tumors when operating on patients.

Do you drink juice in the morning or enjoy a glass of wine to relax after a busy day? Did you know that in order to preserve its flavor and prevent bacterial growth, your favorite beverage has to go through several stages of processing? One is the filtration process, a very expensive production stage. To ensure you can enjoy your favorite drink at a low(er) price, Rishav Phukan is developing next-generation membranes, which will help the industry cut costs and produce in a more eco-friendly way.

What if highways became walking and cycling corridors with live music, food trucks, street artists, and beautiful green spaces? What if your train car was transformed into a gym or a comfortable working space to use during your commute? Hannah Hook (UGent) wants to re-evaluate travel, focusing on human well-being.

Every year, the Belgian police have the equivalent of some 3,600 officers absent due to sick leave. "That's as if there wasn't an officer in Antwerp and Ghent for a year," explains criminologist Celien De Stercke (UGent). Why is it that absence rates in the police have been higher than in other sectors for years? By looking at the sick absences from 2019, De Stercke got a better understanding of which groups within the police are especially absent for long periods and what factors play a role.

"Loneliness, that's just part of getting older, right?" This perception prevails in our society. Sociologist Haike Delafontaine wants to help dispel myths and stereotypes surrounding loneliness among seniors, thus lowering the threshold for talking about it. This is necessary, because did you know that loneliness increases the risk of dying prematurely by as much as 26%?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. One out of 4 people dies from it. To improve treatment options for patients suffering from heart disease, mechanical engineer Mathias Peirlinck develops digital twins of patient hearts. Digital what? Watch Mathias (and his digital twin) explain it in this video.

Anyone who has ever looked for Waldo knows how hard he is to find. In her research on lung cancer, Rebekka Van Hoof (Uhasselt - KU Leuven - VITO) faces a similar task: she is searching within more than 100,000 so-called extracellular vesicles for 2 types -say 'Waldos'- that can help detect the disease early. But she is determined to narrow her search field. How? Watch her explain it in this video. 

Snoring is very annoying in itself (especially for roommates), but sometimes there is more to it. In some people, the upper airway closes up to 15 times an hour during sleep. This condition has obstructive sleep apnoea. Sara Op de Beeck explains how she wants to use data to help patients get the best treatment, so that it can be quiet in their bedroom again. 😴

Cancer is a sneaky disease. For instance, cancer cells sometimes manage to disguise themselves, outrunning our immune system. Gils Roex (UAntwerpen - FWO) explains how equipping our white blood cells with a cleverly designed CAR could well help win the race against blood cancer. Want to know more? Fasten your seatbelts & watch the video 🏎

In 1933, the very first kidney transplant was performed. Unfortunately, the patient died two days later due to rejection symptoms. The development of anti-rejection drugs provided a solution, but also came with a price: over 1 in 5 patients now develop diabetes after a transplant. Yassine Laghrib (UAntwerpen) explains why and how doctors are looking for a solution.

People with hearing loss do not only struggle with hearing problems. Hearing loss can also cause loneliness, emotional problems, and even an increased risk of dementia in the elderly. So after hearing implant placement, one should not only focus on hearing, but also on quality of life, explains Ellen Andries.

In us, humans, curiosity is a driving force for learning. But did you know that AI can also benefit from curiosity, that is, 'artificial curiosity'? Computer scientist Louis Bagot (Imec - UAntwerp) explains how this works and why it is a good idea to tell AI & robots to experiment and have fun.